San Joaquin County Biographies
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
FRED W. WURSTER.
A distinguished member of the banking profession in California is Fred
W. Wurster, the assistant manager of the Bank of Italy of Stockton, in which
city he was born on May 12, 1866. His parents were Chris and Anna M. (Follert)
Wurster, both natives of Germany, and both now deceased. The father died in
1876, while the mother survived until 1903. Mr. Wurster came to California in
the early '50s by way of Panama, and being a carriage painter, he followed that
trade. He always took an active part in the old Volunteer Fire Department, and
in time became prominent, and he was among the most popular members in the
Stockton Lodge of Odd Fellows. Besides the son, the subject of our review, a
daughter, Louise, also survives this marriage. On the death of her husband, Mrs.
Wurster became the wife of Charles A. L. Grunsky, and to her second union was
born a daughter, Anna Pauline Grunsky.
Fred Wurster had the good fortune to attend both the excellent Stockton
public schools, and then, on September 17, 1883, he entered the employ of Fred
Ruhl, the hardware merchant. On May 10, 1886, he became associated with the
Stockton Iron Works. On October 10, 1898, however, he entered banking circles
when he became a clerk in the San Joaquin Valley Bank, where he rose until he
became assistant cashier; and when, on January 19, 1916, the bank became a
national institution, he was made cashier of both the commercial and the savings
departments. A year later, on November 27, the Bank of Italy took over the San
Joaquin Valley National Bank, and then Mr. Wurster was appointed assistant
manager, and this position he now holds. Thus Mr. Wurster has been associated
for close to a quarter of a century with banking institutions in Stockton, and
it is fitting that he should be on the executive committee of the Stockton
Merchants' Association. He is also an active member of the San Joaquin County
Farm Bureau, representing therein the city of Stockton center. When the San
Joaquin Fair was revived in 1919, Mr. Wurster was made president for that year,
and he contributed his share to making the Fair held in Oak Park a success in
every way. This Fair is still held annually, and Mr. Wurster is an honorary
director. In early days he was active in developing the Southern San Joaquin
irrigation district, and helped to put 70,000 acres of land under water; he was
then a large landowner there, and he still retains a small alfalfa ranch in that
district. All his life he has had an active part in civic affairs, and he has
taken especial pride in working for the best interests of the county.
On November 16, 1894, Mr. Wurster was married at Stockton to Miss Maude
E. Wilson, who was born at Brewer, Penobscot County, Maine, but was reared in
Stockton, where she attended the high school. Two children were born to this
union. William Wilson Wurster was graduated from the University of California
with the class of '19, having specialized in architecture; Helen graduated in
December, 1921, at the University of California, Department of Household
Science. Mr. Wurster is one of the trustees of the Congregational Church, and he
is also treasurer of the congregation. He is both a member and a past president
of the Stockton Parlor No. 7 of the N. S. G. W., and a member of Charity Lodge
No. 6, I. O. O. F.
History of San Joaquin County, California � Los Angeles, Historic Record Co.,
1923
p 943
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler.